Jonathan was my baby. Born when I was 11 years old during my mother’s battle with cancer, I had the privilege of helping with much of his care. I sometimes tease that I was able to make all of my parenting mistakes on him and so be a better mom when my own kids came along. He tells my kids, ‘you’re welcome’.

Yesterday my baby brother said goodbye to his newly pregnant wife and 8 month old daughter, Lorelei and today he is fighting our government’s war in Afghanistan.

My religious belief teaches me to feel as safe in battle as in bed. God has fixed the time for my death. I do not concern myself about that, but to be always ready, no matter when it may overtake me.

That is the way all men should live, and then all would be equally brave. ~ “Stonewall” Jackson

I’m very proud of him, of them and I’m thankful to a sovereign God who holds each of us in the palm of His hand and gives us more blessings than we could ever begin name.

This nearly made me shed a tear as I have one of these “children” of my own. Thankfully he still just battling teenage acne and high school sports but I know that all too soon he’ll be out in the real world.

First of all I wanted to say thank you to your brother and your family for his service to our country. I also had a couple little ones that I had the oppurtunity to help in doing a lot of the raising as my mom was very sick when I was about 12. I had a little brother with down’s syndrome who was 8, and a newborn baby sister, and both have always been more like my children than my siblings, and I treasure those times. Praying for your brother and his family!

As I looked through pictures of your brother’s family taken recently, tears came to my eyes as I thought of all he is going to miss in the months to come. I think that is what saddens me most. We are praying for his safety and for the Lord to hasten his return.

Kimberly, Our church is situated just a couple miles outside of Parris Island, SC. Of course, this is where a large percentage of Marines receive their basic training. We have a huge number of military families in our church, and are always praying for our husbands and fathers who are leaving, or on their way home.
God bless your brother and his sweet family…and please know that so many of us are grateful beyond words for the sacrifces they make for our freedom, and for the protection they provide for our country, and our lives.

Praying for your brother and his family. My husband just came home from his second deployment in Iraq, so I know that feeling watching them walk away all too well, it never gets easier. But watching them step off that bus when they come home, just gets sweeter and sweeter each time! He’s in God’s hands, and he’s safer over there walking in God’s will, then he is back home right now.

First of all, thank you to your brother for his service and thank you to your sister-in-law for her sacrifice! We are a military family and my husband has been “over there” 3 times. The second time he left when our 3rd child was only a month old. Yes, what they miss is so hard…on both parents. I will be looking forward to news of his safe return!

May God bless him! I thank him for giving my family the rights and blessings that we have in this country!!!! I was raised in a military family, and my father still works overseas for the government. My husband served for 6 years out of college- it’s a tough life, and our military isn’t given the gratitude they deserve. He’s a special guy- thanks for sharing him with us all!!!!!!!

May God hold your brother in His hands during this time. I’ll keep him in my prayers, as well as your family. Please tell your brother thank you from the Megahee family for serving for us, and the rest of our nation.

A heartfelt THANK YOU to your brother and his family! I’m the wife of a former Marine who was deployed to Iraq at the beginning of the war; clinging to the promises of the Lord made our separation not only bearable, but we reached the end of his tour of duty in victory and might! I don’t ever want to experience that again, but I’m so thankful for that time in our marriage and what the Lord did in each of us.

Thank you for letting us know about your brother’s deployment. He will certainly be in my prayers as will your sister in law and niece.
As a veteran myself (though I didn’t nearly sacrifice as much as my fellow soldiers) I know how hard it will be for him to be away from his wife and daughter.

I think of that quote often. We will be praying for your brother and his family! I remember your sister telling me about your brother’s story when we had a preemie in the hospital. Such a wonderful testimony of God’s grace!
Blessings,
Cassie

Many thanks to your brother and his family for this sacrifice for our country. I have a son that just returned this past January and another set to leave this summer. It is tough but I believe like you do, our time is set, no matter when no matter where. When it is time, it is time. Blessings to you all during this time. No matter what we KNOW, we still worry 🙂

My husband is a chaplain in the US Army and we are stationed in South Korea. I will add your brother and his family to my prayer list of those whom I pray for that are deployed. Many thanks to all those who bravely and selflessly are in harms way to protect our freedoms.

Prayers for protection in both the physical and spiritual battles ahead for your little brother. Please let him know that there are many of us who are forever grateful to our military families for all of the sacrifices they make on our behalf.

As an Air Force brat turned soldier turned Army wife, my heart goes out to your brother and his family. I know it’s tough to have to leave your family behind for a year. My husband left for his first deployment a month before our first child was born. He still hates that he had to miss a lot of her “firsts.”

One way we found to help with that was to send scrapbook pages and videos every month so that he wouldn’t completely miss seeing her grow and change.

For his latest deployment, my daughter and I did a lot of craft projects to send to him every month (drawings, photos, etc). His favorite to this day was his Thanksgiving package. We did a “desert-proof” Thanksgiving dinner by replacing all the “traditional” dishes with shippable alternatives (turkey jerky, applesauce, dried cranberries, etc). His favorite part though was his “stuffed turkey.” We traced mine and my daughters hands and her foot onto fabric and used our handprints to make the tailfeathers and wings and her footprint to make the neck/head. I know sounds odd, but he loved it! He had that sitting by his bed for the rest of his time downrange, and even carried it back with him in his backpack.

Sorry for all the rambling! 🙂
My prayers are with you and your brother’s family!